Apparatus for producing thermodynamic effects



I Aug. 14, 1928. 1,680,454

R.'W. DAVENPORT APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THERMODYNAMIC EFFECTS Filed Dec. 51, 1925 BY A]; ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RANSOM W. DAVENPORT, OF I DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 CHICAGO PNEU- MATIO TOOL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THERMODYNAMIC EFFECTS.

Application filed December 81, 1925. Serial No. 78,563.

This invention relates to heat transformmg apparatus with particular reference to re rigerating systems. It has particular adaptation to systems operating in accordance with the processes disclosed in my copending applications Ser. No. 15,172, filed March 12, 1925, and Serial No. 77,156 filed Dec. 22, 1925 in which very moderate pressures obtained upon the high side of the system. In particular the invention has, to do with the condensation of the working substance discharged by the compressor or pump of the refrigerating ,system.

Condensers as commonly made, particularly condensers for heat engines, are in the form of coils of pipe exposed to the cooling medium. Such condensers present a large surface to the cooling medium, but have a small internal volume. They are well adapted to withstand high pressures, but are need: lessly heavy, strong, and expensive for use with moderate pressures.

One object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for use with heat exchange systems, particularly refrigerating systems of the type described which utilize as a working substance a liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid. Another object is to simplif the construction and to reduce the cost 0 condensing apparatus without appreciable loss of efficiency. Other objects will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

In order to illustrate the invention concrete embodiments thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is an elevational view somewhat diagrammatic in form of a complete refrigerating system;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of the condenser shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a simplified form of condenser.

The refrigerating system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a refrigerating element 4 diagrainmaticallyillustrated as a coil of pipe which is placed in the chamber to be cooled. The remaining elements comprise the pump or compressorfi and the condenser 6 together with a suitable rime mover such as the electric motor 7 T ese elements may be disposed as desired either above or below the refrigerator chamber. The compressor inlet pipe 5 is connected to the top of the refrigerating element 4 and the compressor discharge pipe 5 connects with thetop of the condenser 6 which is in the form of a tank providing a chamber or large volume relative to the discharge therefrom. The discharge pipe 8 of the condenser is arranged to conduct both the condensed and the uncondensed products of the condenser simultaneously to a suitable expansion device'9 which discharges into the bottom of the refrigerating element 4. Heat is removed from the exterior of the condenser 6 by suitable means such as a fan 10 which may be driven by the prime mover 7 and arranged to discharge a vigorous blast of air upon the condenser. The thermodynamic system illustrated utilizes as a working substance a suitable liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid, and since the principles of operation are believed to be apparent and moreover are set forth in detail in my copending applications above referred to, further description is omitted.

The condensing apparatus, with which the present invention is particularly concerned, will now be described. As is apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 the condenser 6 is a hollow member of substantial size into the to of which the compressed gas and vapor rom the compressor 5 is discharged through pipe 5. The condenser 6 is of such size relative to the rate of discharge therefrom that the compressed gas and vapor remains in the consenser 6 for a considerable period in a substantially static condition. This time interval is required for the blast of air from fan 9 to remove sufiicient heat from the condenser to reduce the temperature of the vapor-gas mixture to the condensing point for the vapor and to enable the vapor to disengage itself from the gas. The vapor condenses on the walls of the condenser and drains to the bottom thereof. For best re sults it is essential that the discharge pipe 8 carryaway simultaneously both the condensate and the-residual vapor-gas mixture. If the condenser is above the refrigerating element as illustrated in my copending application Ser. No. 77,156, filed Dec. 22, 1925, above referred to the outlet pipe is so arranged that the condensate drains by gravity thereinto. When the refrigerating ele' ment is above the condenser as indicated in Fig. 1 of this application the open end of the discharge pipe 8 is arranged to project into and slightly beneath the level of the liquid condensate. In order to provide a pocket for the condensate the bottom of the condenser may be formed with an inwardly projecting or dished bottom 11. With a dished form of bottom as shown the pocket is a circular one .close to the vertical wall of the condenser and pipe 8 is arranged to extend into the pocket as shown with the result that the high pressure obtaining in condenser 6 together with the low pressure obtaining in the top of the refrigerating element 4 from the operation of pump 5 causes'slugs of condensate alternating with slugs of vapor gas mixture to pass into and rapidly through discharge pipe 8 to the expansion device 9.

In very exceptional cases where the condenser may not provide sufiicient surface to reduce the temperature of the vapor-gas mixture to the condensing temperature of the vapor, the condensing apparatus may be arranged to provide radiating surface additional to that furnished by the tank itself.

One way of providing additional radiating surface is to arrange a portion of the discharge pipe 8 upon the exterior of the condenser. To this end the pipe 8 may be coiled about the condenser the required or desired number of times as indicated at 8. Such a construction does not modify the principle of operation of the refrigerating system but instead of the condensing step being entirely erformed within the open chamber provi ed by the condenser, part of the step may be performed or completed in the external coils 8 of discharge pipe.

The modifications shown in section in Fig. 3 illustrates the simplest as well as the preferred form of m condenser. The condenser 6 therein s own is simply a tank providing a large open chamber, and the discharge connection 18 merely a straight pipe 8 extending inside condenser 6 and terminating in the condensate pocket formed by the inwardly dished bottom 11. This form of condenser when made of the proper size is entirely adequate and efficient.

I am aware that tanks have been used -previously on the high side of heat engines, such as refrigerating systems, but they have seen so combined and connected as to function merely as liquid receivers and have not been designed and arranged as in the present invention to produce condensation of the working substance.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a thermodynamic system utilizing as a working substance a liquid and gas substautially inert to and insoluble in said liquid. the process of producing condensation of the vapor of the liquid in a stream of mingled vapor and gas which comprises maintaining a considerable volume of the vapor-gas mixture in a substantially static condition and extracting heat from the same, thereby giving the vapor time to reach condensing temperature and to extricate itself from the gas in the form of liquid.

2. In a thermodynamic system of the closed cycle type utilizing as a working substance a liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid and involving the steps of compressing. condensing, expanding and vaporizing, the method of condensing the vapor-gas stream which comprises discharging the vapor-gas stream into a chamber of large volume relative to the rate of discharge therefrom and extracting heat from the chamber.

3. In a closed cycle system of the com pressor-condenser-evaporator type utilizing as a working substance a liquid and a gas substantially inert to and insoluble in the liquid the steps in the thermodynamic process which comprises maintaining a substantial volume of the vapor-gas stream discharged by the compressor in a generally static condition while extracting heat from the same so as to produce condensation of the vapor, and conducting the condensate residual vapor and accompanying gas in contiguity to an expansion device discharging directly into the liquid in the evaporator.

4. In combination, in a refrigerating system of the closed cycle type utilizing a working substance containing as components a volatile liquid and an inert and insoluble gas, an evaporator element for containing the working substance, a compressor arranged to withdraw the vapor and the inert gas from said element, means receiving the vapor-gas mixture discharged by said pump and maintaining the same for a considerable period in a substantially static condition to permit the vapor to give up heat and reach condensing temperature, and means for returning the condensate with a portion of the residual vapor-gas mixture to said element.

5. In combination, in a refrigerating system, an evaporator for containing a working substance, a compressor connected to the top of said evaporator, and a condenser into which said compressor discharges, said condenser being in the form of a hollow member of large volume relative to the discharge opening therefrom, means for cooling the exterior of said condenser, and a discharge connection from said condenser to said evaporator, said connection being so arranged as to conduct away from said condenser both the liquid and the gaseous contents thereof.

6. In combination, in a refrigerating system, an evaporator for containing a working substance, a compressor connected to the top of said evaporator, and a condenser into which said compressor discharges, said condenser being in the form of a hollow member of large volume relative to the discharge opening therefrom, means for coollng the exterior of said condenser, the bottom of said condenser being arranged to form a pocket for collecting the condensate, and a discharge pipe extending from said pocket tosaid evaporator and arranged to conduct both the condensed and the uncondensed contents of the condenser thereto. 7

7 A condenser for heat transforming systems comprising a hollow member providing a closed chamber of substantial volume and having means providing a recess for collecting a body of condensate, and a single discharge connection for both the liquid and gaseous products of the condenser disposed in immediate proximity to the top of said recess.

8. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising a hollow member providing a closed chamber of substantial volume, an inlet connection to the top of said chamber, said member having an inwardly dished bottom, and an outlet connection from the bottom of said chamber beneath the highest projection of said dished bottom.

9. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising a hollow member providing a closed chamber of substantial volume, an inlet connection to the top of said chamber, the bottom of said member being arranged to provide a pocket for the condensate, and a single discharge pipe for said member opening into said chamber adjacent to the bottom thereof and within said pocket for carrying away both the liquid and the gaseous products of the condenser.

10. A condenser for refrigerating systems compris'ng a hollow member having an inlet, an outlet connection from said member arranged to conduct away both the condensed and the uncondensed contents thereof, said member providing a chamber of large volume relative to the outlet opening therefrom, said outlet connection being arranged to increase the cooling surface of said condenser.

11. A condenser for refrigerating systems comprising a hollow member providing a closed chamber of substantial volume, an inlet connection to the top of said chamber, the bottom of said member being formed with an inwardly projecting part to provide a pocket for the condensate, and a dischar pipe for said member opening into sa1d chamber adjacent the bottom thereof and with n said pocket, a portion of said discharge pipe being disposed upon the exterior of said member to increase the cooling surface of the condenser.

12. A condenser for refrigeratings stems comprising a hollow member provi ing a closed chamber of substantial volume, an inlet connection to the top of said chamber, the bottom of said member being arranged to provide a pocket for the condensate, and a discharge pipe for said member opening into said chamber adjacent the bottom thereof and within said pocket, said discharge pipe being coiled about the exterior of said condenser to increase the cooling surface thereof.

13. A condenser for a refrigerating system comprising a hollow member providing a closed chamber of substantial volume, an inlet connection to said chamber, said member being arranged to provide a pocket for the condensate, and a single discharge pipe for said member having its open end within said pocket.

Signed by me at Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, this 21st day of December 1925.

RANSOM W. DAVENPORT. 

